MINSK, 21 January (BelTA) – The first national forum on sustainable development will be held in Minsk on 24 January and will bring together all stakeholders working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and also international partners, BelTA learned from the organizers.
It is expected that the forum will be the first attempt to set up a platform for regular and comprehensive discussion of issues related to the SDGs with the participation of all stakeholders.
During plenary and panel sessions led by moderators from among the heads of key ministries, representatives of government, Parliament, NGOs, business and academic communities the participants will exchange views and vocalize proposals regarding the future work on achieving the SDGs and the necessary measures for the improvement of this work. The forum will set the guidelines for short-, medium-and long-term prospects.
The forum will, in particular, consider the implementation of the national strategy on sustainable social and economic development of Belarus for the period till 2030 and the preparation of the national sustainable development strategy through 2035. The forum participants will also assess the status of readiness of Belarus to monitor the achievement of the SDGs, the organization of work in the regions. Since the forum will be attended by international experts, representatives of UN agencies, special attention will be paid to the implementation by Belarus of the recommendations of the UN experts (MAPS mission) to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and interaction with international partners.
The participants of the forum are expected to prepare recommendations which will be used by the Council for Sustainable Development and, if necessary, forwarded to the Parliament and the government for finalization. They can also be presented at the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
The event is organized by the National Coordinator for the SDGs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of the UN Office in Belarus.
The United Nations adopted the Agenda 2030 in 2015. It includes 17 goals aimed at eradicating poverty, fighting inequality and injustice, mitigating the climate change. The Agenda 2030 is a comprehensive strategy to improve the quality of people's lives, to promote development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. All 17 goals are being adapted for Belarus. Belarus' national architecture for achieving the SDGs includes the Council for Sustainable Development (which includes representatives from all government agencies), partners and other groups, civil society and international organizations. All their proposals will be reflected in the national sustainable development strategy until 2035. The policy documents, legislation will also rely on the Agenda 2030 goals.
